


The Way We Will Always Be

by GlitterCake20



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: M/M, Post-Break Up, Sad with a Happy Ending, Surprise Ending, Thaim
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-07
Updated: 2018-04-07
Packaged: 2019-04-19 21:37:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,263
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14246280
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GlitterCake20/pseuds/GlitterCake20





	The Way We Will Always Be

 

He blew out a nervous breath, cheeks puffed as he rang the doorbell. Number what? A quick swipe of his thumb and a few taps later he had Liam’s message open “ _Buzz twice, 122. YAY!_ ”. He couldn’t help but smile- albeit bitter sweet- Liam’s excitement never ceased to amaze him.

 

Beyond that buzzer is a lot of history he is finally ready to face. After many avoided _‘When are you coming’_ and ‘ _excuses, excuses’_ conversations Theo had called Liam up, his layover happened to be in the beta’s town.

 

*****

**_“Calm Down Liam!!”_ **

**_“Shut the fuck up!!”_ **

**_*_ **

**_“I’m sorry… I didn’t mean it”_ **

**_“It’s okay come here”_ **

  *****

 

The memories still made his heart do some kind of tantrum-like flip. All fading when the buzzer rang, and he heard the excited stomps- down a few steps- that familiar heart leaping out of its cage, “He’s here!!!” he hears Liam's voice shout.

 

The door swings open and Theo is met with a smile that could level an army, one that will always be his favorite thing in the world- even if it wasn't reserved for him anymore. _Liam_.

 

Infectious- that’s what it is, he can’t help but smile back, can’t help but let his smile slit his eyes and warm his heart. The once mighty chimera’s arms stretch out in a wave of awe and the boy leaps into him…. Like he always had, like nothing has changed. And Theo catches him regardless of what he held in his hands seconds before pressing the buzzer.

 

“Fucking Raeken.” He breathes heavy into Theo’s ear, “Hi!”

 

“Hi Liam.” He chuckles, hands reluctantly wrapping around his back. Just for a few moments Theo lets himself miss it, Liam smells different now. It's not Theo's anymore, but the scent is dumbfounding. His nose takes it in, lets it settle into open cracks of memory, but his ears stop him at the mention of a name.

 

“Brett!! Where the fuck are you??”

 

  *****

**_“Oh right because you’re so much fucking better, a walking fucking landmine??”_ **

**_“You asshole!!! Yeah! Just shut down like you always do!! GO!”_ **

**_*_ **

**_“Sorry baby… I’m so sorry”_ **

**_“Me too, it won’t happen again, I love you”_ **

**_*_ **

 

“I’m coming, Jesus I just got dressed. Or do you want your guest to have a heart attack?”

 

They snort and Theo lets Liam down to stand, the beta’s hands remain on his shoulders, smile beaming, “Come in, you gotta see this place bab-... uh, Theo” Theo laughs but it stings and he remembers he too has to watch is phrasing, it's Talbot now… not Dunbar.

 

Liam grabs him by the wrist and pulls him up a mini flight of stairs and he catches a glimpse of the shiny band around Liam's finger, gorgeous, engraved with his new last name. Liam leads him to a lavish living area where the tall werewolf tosses a small towel aside having just dried his mop of curls.

 

“Theo!! Finally, man!” Brett wraps a hand around the chimera’s shoulders and pulls him in, slapping his back in that friendly way people do, “How was the flight?”

 

Theo returns the friendly pats and pull off, “Long, and smelly. I hate airlines.”

 

“You hate people.” Liam reminds him and he enters the open plan area with a tray of cocktails, “Before you judge me, it’s past noon _somewhere_ , and werewolves can’t get drunk.” He has that mischievous glimmer in his eyes and his lip twitches with the nonsense he speaks.

 

Brett steps in behind Liam, leaning way down—fuck was he taller now?  He nuzzles into Liam’s neck taking one of the drinks, placing a soft and endearing kiss on Liam’s cheek before heading to a large sliding door that opens up on a sunlit patio.

 

“Come on. We have catching up to do, did this little shit tell you he landed a fucking _modeling_ job??” Brett speaks over his shoulder and Theo gleams at Liam, not surprised at all, the pretty beta just shrugs and follows his husband outside.

 

It’s easy with them, Theo wasn’t expecting it to be uncomfortable- they had made their peace and amends way back when. They apologized, honestly and sincerely to each other for the way they were and what they did. He couldn’t say his heart had healed, or that he was completely over Liam. God, does anyone ever get over their first love? And he knew- assumed- that Liam wouldn’t entirely be over him either, but what matters now is that the boy was happy. No more permanent scowls between his eyes, no more walking on egg shells and bleeding palms.

 

*****

**_“You sure you’re fine, hmm? You look like you’d be happier in hell? Maybe I should have left you there.”_ **

**_“Wow… Fantastic. Fucking fantastic…… No no, go fuck yourself Liam,"_ **

**_*_ **

**_“C-can I come to bed?”_ **

**_“Whatever.”_ **

*****

 

He watches Liam, sharing stories, mixing drinks- spilling as he does so, making strange combinations of snacks, laughing and skipping songs before they’d even started. All the things that drove him insane seems to be what Brett adored about Liam. He watches the way Brett admired every little thing the beta does, how he smiles from a deep and happy place inside every time Liam’s tongue pokes out in concentration to get the measurements just right. 

 

“You seeing someone?” Brett’s hoarse voice snaps him from the reverie. He leans in on the table taking a long drag of his smoke.

 

Theo wants to lie, maybe he’d come across less pathetic if it seemed like he roped them in by the masses, and honestly with a face like Theo’s that should not be as far from the truth as it is. His redeemed-self opts for the truth instead, “No, not since…” he gestures to the dancing -if one can call it that- beta wolf in the kitchen.

 

Brett seems about just as shocked as everyone who asks Theo that question but he lets it lie. Theo guesses it's because he too knows the connection Theo and Liam had, how they owed each other their lives, it is not an easy thing to follow, and Brett respected that.

 

The rest of the night is light and full of laughter, crazy stories and promises of more evenings just like this. They dance to silly songs and for once Theo leaves his introversion at the door and he lets go. Liam’s hand is in his, their fingers brushing as they dance like lunatics, twirling around under each other’s arms, overly long hair flopping and plastering to damp foreheads. Brett laughs and records it, taking turns to twirl them both around under his long arms until they are a dizzy giggling mess.

 

Theo’s kind of sure that those cocktails were doctored, the deliriously nostalgic and happy feeling in his chest being his first clue…. Feels like _hope-_ that one day he will find this too. Maybe one day the universe will give up and say ‘ _Okay, it has been long enough, be happy now_.’ Hopefully one day soon.

 

  *****

**_“Please, please don’t… just stop crying please… Theo, please?”_ **

**_“N-no… I can’t… we can’t keep doing this to each other…. I-it’s not right….”_ **

**_“… I know.”_ **

  *****

**_“I think this is everything.”_ **

**_“Okay, I can drive you?”_ **

**_“It's fine, I think maybe… it’s easier if we just… if this is…”_ **

**_“Okay.”_ **

**_“Bye baby.”_ **

**_“… See you Liam.”_ **

**_*_ **

 

Brett and Liam gave him a ride to the airport the next day, walking him to his terminal. Liam insisted the born wolf can carry all the luggage so he can walk arm in arm with Theo until they get to his gate.

 

He smiles and pulls Brett into a tight hug, not one of those back patting ones, but a proper one and with it he says what his words fail to, _‘Thank you for making him happy when I couldn’t, thank you for keeping him safe now that I’m not around and… thank you for loving him so much that I can feel it in the way he laughs’_

The hug lasts a while because Brett holds on too, reassuring Theo with a tight squeeze that he will always be there for Liam, protect him with his life if need be because he knows that’s exactly what Theo would do, what he’d always done. And perhaps that’s why there are no hard feelings between the Ex and the Current- because they both share one very special thing in this mad world… their love for this one boy.

 

When they finally pull apart Liam’s eyes are wet and he dives into Theo before the chimera can see the tears. He holds him tight, fist curled in Theo’s jacket, “Was nice seeing you Theo. Please, please come again?”

 

“I will. I promise.” He wants to rake his hand through the dirty blonde strands but he ruffles it playfully instead, “You be good now, _Talbot_ ”

 

Liam beams at the word and he has nothing more to say, he curls into Brett’s side closing his eyes at the kisses the tall wolf drops on his head, his arms looping around Brett’s middle.

 

Theo leaves them with a wave and continues through the gates scanning his luggage- and if the lady behind him patted his back soothingly and made a few more tears fall from his eyes, then so be it, no one else can see.

 

* * *

 

The plane’s engines roar to life and Theo leans back in his seat, the entire row to himself. He revisits the memories of the night before, his cheeks still phantom hurting from all the laughing they did. His body is tired and his mind foggy from the shed tears although the emptiness inside is now filled with something comforting.

 

He readies to catch a much-needed nap to recover from Liam’s suspicious cocktails when he hears a commotion by the door and everyone’s eyes dart that way. The air hostess jumps back and a tall man shuffles passed the entrance, leveling her with a death stare before she can protest about him being late.

 

The guy looks vaguely familiar, Theo’s seen him somewhere before. He’s got that resting bitch face going and his mouth pulls into a taut line, his leather jacket is the same shade of jet as his gelled back hair. He’s searching for his seat number and Theo can tell from all the way in the back that he is thoroughly annoyed, doesn’t even apologize when knocking people’s shoulders with his luggage. Theo snickers to himself because _same_. That’s why he likes being early.

 

He’s still trying to place the man when he stops next to Theo’s seat, shoving the bags into the overhead compartment. Theo knows he shouldn’t, but he scents him anyway and layered under the wafts of annoyance and irritation Theo smells the undeniable scent of a wolf. Strong and true- born?

 

The man shuts the compartment with a huff and unnecessary force but his face instantly changes when he meets Theo’s eyes, which at this point is having trouble focusing because, _wow_ , he is gorgeous and it’s making his heart do absurd things.

 

“Theo? That’s right isn’t it?” Mr. Midnight Stubble says, sitting down right next to Theo, his gaze burning into the chimera. Fight or flight reflexes kick in and Theo goes rigid without him meaning to.

 

He half-laughs and dips his chin down, eyes dancing over Theo’s face when he looks back up, “I’m Derek,” he holds his hand out. His mind hits the connection, recalling Scott saying goodbye to the man as the sun came up after that last fight with the hunters- the morning he delivered Liam back to his alpha, safe and sound.

 

“Hale?” he asks, but he knows, he’s too in awe of Derek’s rugged handsome face and they way he is staring back at him, to form a coherent sentence right now. It’s the first time since Liam that he felt this, that he allowed himself to look, to appreciate, to be looked at.

 

“Depends on what you’ve heard?”

 

“Heard you made one hell of a scene in Mexico a while back.”

 

“Yeah, then that’s me.” Derek smiles and nods enthusiastically and Theo is once again stuck, lips parting for words to exit but nothing comes because apparently Derek is even more beautiful when he smiles.

 

“I’m sure my reputation precedes me too?”

 

“Do you mean the pile of dead bodies dragging behind you?”

 

Theo snorts, Derek does too and they realize their hands are still clasped in the other’s. Shyly they look away and let go, laying their hands in their laps with an out-of-place clearing of throats. They exchange another glance, smiling again- god only knows why.

 

Derek shrugs his leather jacket off and a piece of paper falls out, fluttering down to Theo’s feet, he bends to pick it up while Derek busies himself with the jacket, “The Amazon?” he asks looking at the scribbled coordinates on the piece of paper, signed with a very distinct _C. Argent_ at the bottom.

 

“Yeah… it’s the last place they spotted…-”

 

He pauses as Theo frantically reaches into the pocket of his jeans and pulls out a similar paper with the exact same coordinates as Derek’s, signed by Chris and together they finish the sentence- “Kate”

 

 _This will be one hell of a mission_ , Theo thinks looking at his new partner in the Special Assignment Forces for Supernatural Safety- headed up by Argent and manned by the Calaveras.

 

Derek just smiles and shakes his head, because he _knows_ , he knows what it feels like when you fall in fucking love.

 

The universe finally winks at Theo, _“Be happy now, Raeken.”_

 


End file.
